MARC JACOBS
Hutch Post
Hutchinson Regional CEO Addresses Leapfrog Safety Grade, Staffing Reforms, and Path Forward
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Benjamin Anderson, chief executive officer of Hutchinson Regional Healthcare System, is pushing back on concerns raised after the hospital received a low grade in the most recent Hospital Safety Grade issued by the Leapfrog Group, emphasizing that the score reflects historical data and does not capture the health system’s recent improvements.
Speaking during an in-depth interview on the BW Morning Show, Anderson said the Leapfrog score relies on a rolling multi-year data set, meaning performance issues from two to three years ago—particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic—continue to weigh down the hospital’s current grade.
“Some of the data that affects this score goes back several years,” Anderson said. “As those older events fall off the reporting window, we are seeing steady improvement every six months.”
Pandemic Impact and Staffing Challenges
Anderson acknowledged that Hutchinson Regional, like many hospitals nationwide, struggled during the pandemic. The healthcare industry lost roughly 20 percent of its workforce nationally, he said, and Hutchinson Regional leaned heavily on traveling nurses and contract physicians to maintain operations.
“Those clinicians are essential in a crisis, but they don’t practice the same way as people who live here, shop here, and have kids in our schools,” Anderson said.
Over the past two years, the hospital has made a concerted effort to localize its workforce. Anderson said Hutchinson Regional has recruited 24 medical providers in the last 24 months, all of whom live in the community or will soon. By summer 2026, he expects the health system to be nearly free of contract physicians and traveling nurses.
Two years ago, Anderson said, only one emergency department physician lived locally. By next summer, nearly every physician will reside in Hutchinson.
“You practice differently when this is your community,” he said.
Recruitment Strategy and Community Role
To strengthen recruitment, Hutchinson Regional evaluated what it is like to live and work in Hutchinson using a “Community Apgar” framework developed by the University of North Dakota School of Medicine. The assessment found that while the community offers strong schools, food access, and childcare progress, internal hospital culture needed improvement.
“That told us the work we needed to do was inside the organization,” Anderson said.
The hospital shifted its recruitment strategy toward mission-driven providers with local ties or a strong desire to practice in rural medicine. Anderson compared the approach to collegiate athletics recruiting, bringing physician candidates to Hutchinson in groups so they could build trust and recruit one another.
“That momentum is real, and it’s making recruitment easier,” he said.
Understanding the Leapfrog Grade
The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade compiles publicly available and voluntarily reported data into a letter grade from A to F. Anderson said Hutchinson Regional previously did not participate in the Leapfrog survey, which meant the grade was calculated using limited public data—negatively impacting the score.
“When we started fully reporting our data, the score improved,” Anderson said. “We don’t want a D, but we’ve owned where we were and focused on fixing it.”
Before the pandemic, the hospital held a C grade, he said. During COVID-19, it dropped to a D and briefly an F. Since resuming full reporting and implementing reforms, the score has climbed again, with leadership expecting continued improvement as older data cycles out.
Internal Review and Safety Culture
Hospital leadership reviews each Leapfrog report through a formal committee process, conducting root cause analyses and using findings to shape strategic priorities. Anderson said transparency is central to that work, with results shared internally among staff and with the hospital’s board.
Leadership also participates daily in an 8:30 a.m. safety huddle to review patient safety indicators, including falls, infections, and other serious events. When incidents occur, multidisciplinary teams investigate system failures rather than assigning blame.
“If harm is preventable, it’s morally unacceptable,” Anderson said. “We have an obligation to fix broken systems.”
Patient Communication and Transparency
Anderson highlighted several initiatives designed to strengthen patient communication, including a dedicated patient relations manager who reviews every complaint and survey response. The hospital also operates a Patient and Family Advisory Council made up of community members.
Standardized handoff procedures between shifts and a rebuilt care management department help ensure continuity of care, he said.
Beyond the hospital, Hutchinson Regional shares performance and safety information through employee forums, community newsletters, and public appearances.
“We can dislike where we are today and still love the trend line,” Anderson said. “And the trend line is moving up and to the right.”
Looking Ahead
Among the hospital’s forward-looking priorities is continued improvement in emergency department throughput. Anderson noted that in early 2024, nearly 9 percent of emergency patients left without being seen due to long waits. After staffing and process changes, that rate has dropped to under 1 percent.
The hospital is also preparing to participate in Kansas’ Rural Health Transformation funding initiative, which will invest millions statewide in workforce development, access to care, and healthcare technology.
“Hutchinson is a large, complex rural healthcare hub,” Anderson said. “We serve not just Reno County, but communities west and south of here. We take that responsibility seriously.”
Anderson said the hospital’s long-term goal is clear: continued progress toward a Leapfrog A grade through sustained cultural change, staffing stability, and transparency with the community.
“This is a health system on the rise,” he said.